The purpose of this study was to collect data from 40 school superintendents who were newly hired in Washington school districts just prior to the 1986-87 school year, assess the conditions within a school district when hiring a superintendent; and evaluate expectations placed upon a new chief executive by the board of education. Thirty-eight superintendents completed and returned the survey for a 95 percent return rate. The theoretical foundations for the study rely on Richard O. Carlson's analyses of superintendent selection and succession processes. The research analyses matched Carlson's conclusions that involuntary school board turnover impacts what type of superintendent is hired; that gaps exist between superintendent performance and expectations; that new school board members feel they have a mandate for school improvement which is mirrored in the superintendent selection process; and that when the board has been dissatisfied with school administration, new superintendents are given authority to act. (JAM)